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    • Review: I just don't get 'Game of Thrones' and 'House of the Dragon' obsessions

    A scene from 'House of the Dragon.' (HBO Max via CNN Newsource) A scene from 'House of the Dragon.' (HBO Max via CNN Newsource)
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    Winter never came for me.

    I say that not even fully understanding what that means, though I do know it means plenty to fans of 鈥淕ame of Thrones鈥 and 鈥淗ouse of the Dragon.鈥

    Bring on the fire breathing, as I am fully prepared to be judged for all of what I am about to say. I completely understand fandom. I better, given that I鈥檓 an entertainment reporter by both trade and choice.

    Not to mention that those two shows have been massive hits for HBO, which shares a parent company with CNN.

    I also admit to some FOMO when others are all in on pop culture obsessions, because I want to play too! And people love them some 鈥淕ame of Thrones.鈥 Like seriously love it.

    My mom will tell you that pop culture has been in my blood almost since the beginning, especially television shows. If you wanted to keep me quiet as a kid, you either handed me a book or you plopped me in front of a television. Especially anything having to do with historical fiction.

    So it would make sense that 鈥淕ame of Thrones鈥 would be my jam since it鈥檚 based on the incredibly popular 鈥淎 Song of Fire and Ice鈥 fantasy book series by George R. R. Martin. Upon seeing the promotional photos before the series debuted in 2011, I immediately thought 鈥渕edieval drama!鈥 and was ready to be all in, starting with the novels.

    The struggle began when I was reading the first book in the series. I am that annoying type of person who MUST read the book before the thing it鈥檚 based on comes out. (I also have to read book series in strict order, but I digress).

    The first book is titled 鈥淎 Game of Thrones鈥 and I settled in fully expecting to be engrossed by all 694 pages. I even poured my favorite beverage in my chalice goblet to set the mood for what I had heard was a powerful tale of the inhabitants of the fictitious lands of Westeros and Essos.

    Things didn鈥檛 go as planned.

    I just couldn鈥檛 seem to connect with the book, despite Martin being a fine writer.

    鈥淢aybe I just can鈥檛 read it,鈥 I thought, and downloaded it on Audible to listen instead.

    Dear reader, it became the first audiobook I have ever fallen asleep to while listening.

    So my expectations were already low when the series debuted. I tried to watch the first few episodes and they seemed too dark to me 鈥 and I鈥檓 not just talking about the subject matter. The cinematography seemed so dark, at times I felt like I was struggling to make out the characters.

    It all felt so鈥leak. Add the fact that, as an empath, I really can鈥檛 do beheadings, and I decided to tap out.

    'Succession' but with swords

    The show very quickly began to take over my social media feeds and thus began my feelings of being left out of what plenty of people appeared to be enjoying.

    I tried to sort out why exactly I wasn鈥檛 vibing with the 鈥淕OT鈥 franchise.

    Rhys Ifans and Olivia Cooke in 'House of the Dragon.' (Ollie Upton/HBO via CNN Newsource)

    Was it because I鈥檓 not the biggest fantasy fan? No, I loved 鈥淟ord of the Rings鈥 and 鈥淪hadow and Bone.鈥

    Was it the violence? Perhaps, though anyone who knows me (or followed either my writing and/or my social media) knows that I am a huge fan of mob movies. I even wrote an essay inspired by the fact that even though, in fairness, I watch a sanitized version that I recorded off of television so it鈥檚 not as violent as the original.

    The closest explanation I鈥檝e been able to come up with centres on the fact that 鈥淭he Game of Thrones鈥 characters aren鈥檛 the greatest people, and even the incredibly handsome visage of Jon Snow (played by Kit Harington) doesn鈥檛 change that fact.

    As my editor Megan Thomas pointed out, it really is like 鈥淪uccession鈥 with swords. Almost every character has an angle, and most of them aren鈥檛 people you鈥檇 want as friends in real life.

    鈥淪uccession鈥 is another hit HBO show by the way, so make of that pattern what you will.

    When it comes right down to it, even for someone who enjoys watching any and all things having to do with the mafia, 鈥淕ame of Thrones鈥欌 storylines of rape, war and incest felt way too brutal to me.

    Solace can often be found in community, and I feel like Adam Elkus nailed it in his 2015 Medium piece titled

    鈥淚t is a form of power pornography in which viwers [sic] watch human beings degrade, hurt, betray, abuse, and destroy each other and then compulsively compete to see how can make the most clever gif or Imgur image out of such depravity,鈥 he writes.

    Author George R.R. Martin poses at the premiere of the film "Tolkien," at the Regency Village Theatre on May 8, 2019, in Los Angeles. Warner Bros. Discovery is sticking with safe bet franchises that will likely lure viewers, including a 鈥淗arry Potter鈥 series and a 鈥淕ame of Thrones鈥 prequel for its rebranded Max streaming service, the company announced Wednesday, April 12, 2023. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)

    Heavy, right?

    With this weekend鈥檚 premiere of the second season of the 鈥淕ame of Thrones鈥 spinoff 鈥淗ouse of the Dragon,鈥 I decided to try again. This is the part where I should write something noble about how I feel like a different person or that I am in a different place years later, having survived the pandemic or something like that.

    The truth is my friend actress LaNisa Renee Frederick has been documenting watching 鈥淕ame of Thrones鈥 for the first time and cracking me up with her comments like 鈥淭hese people need baths,鈥 鈥淚s he gonna die soon,鈥 and 鈥淚s he Black? Are there Black people in this?鈥

    With remote and snacks in hand I tried again to binge watch 鈥淕OT鈥 and 鈥 nope. Still not for me.

    Before you suggest that I jump straight to watching 鈥淗ouse of the Dragon鈥 and abandon all hopes of its predecessor, scroll back to the portion where I mentioned my obsessive need to read things in order. That goes for watching things in order as well, and while it鈥檚 technically a prequel, just thinking about doubling back like that feels like I would be disturbing something in the force. (I know that鈥檚 a Star Wars reference but, I鈥檓 really trying to placate the fantasy fans who might feel tempted to come for my head.)

    Plus, these days I鈥檓 searching for as many things as possible to feel good about. So sorry 鈥淗ouse of the Dragon,鈥 it doesn鈥檛 appear we鈥檙e meant to be.

    Don鈥檛 feel sad for me that I鈥檓 missing out on all the action of the eagerly awaited second season, because I鈥檓 cool with it. And should anyone try to shame you for the same or express that they can鈥檛 believe that anyone wouldn鈥檛 love 鈥淕OT鈥 or 鈥淗OTD,鈥 share this piece with them. I want them to know it was me.

    is a Senior Writer for CNN Digital in Atlanta. She covers internet subcultures, religion, positive news and various obsessions.

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